When People See Evil And Do Not Change It, Allah Will Send Down His Punishment Upon Them All

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Shehzad Sattar
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When People See Evil And Do Not Change It, Allah Will Send Down His Punishment Upon Them All

Postby Shehzad Sattar » Sat Nov 05, 2016 9:38 pm

Question posed to Imam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him):

How do we bring harmony between the statement of Allah:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

“O you who believe! Take care of your own selves, [do righteous deeds, fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. If you follow the right guidance and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden) no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do.” (al-Maa-idah: 105)

and the statement of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam):

Whoever from amongst you sees an evil then let him change it with his hands. If he’s not able to, then with his tongue…?

Answer:

There’s no contradiction between the ayah and the hadeeth. There’s no contradiction between the ayah (mentioned from Soorah al-Maa-idah) and the statement of Allah:

وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَر

“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden).” (Aal ‘Imraan: 104)

That’s because in the ayah that has been mentioned, Allah stated: “If you are guided.” Therefore the ayah is restricted to the statement of Allah “If you are guided.” From us being guided is that we command with the right and forbid the wrong. However when the commanding of the right and the forbidding of the wrong doesn’t benefit at all, (then) at that time the person is to be concerned with himself. Based upon this, it has been narrated on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that he said:

Command with the right and forbid the wrong until the point where you see stinginess that’s obeyed; desires that are followed; preference being given to the life of this world; everyone who has a view being amazed with his own view. (At this point) then it will be upon you to concern yourself with yourself and leave off the affair of the common folk.

The ayah in al-Maa-idah “Oh you who believe, concern yourselves with yourselves…” (then) it’s in relation to (those situations) when the person doesn’t have the ability to command the right or forbid the wrong. (Either that or) his commanding (of the right) and forbidding (of the wrong) doesn’t benefit.

Based upon this, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) read this ayah and said: “Oh people, indeed you read the statement of Allah: ‘Oh you who believe, concern yourselves with yourselves. You will not be harmed by the one who has strayed if you are guided.’ Indeed I heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: ‘Verily when the people see evil and they do not change it, Allah is about to send down upon all of them His punishment.’”

Source: Silsilah Liqaa-aat al-Baab al-Maftooh: “Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh” 31.

Source: http://daarulhadeeth.org/2014/10/06/whe ... -them-all/
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings and do not repel people..”

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